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Here's another entry in the world's best global warming films contest! The current contestants are Brokaw's Global Warming, Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, and now The Great Warming. For my earlier review of the former two, see 7/2/06 Movie Review: Brokaw and Gore. I reviewed Brokaw based on a screening copy: now everyone wants to know where to get one.

The Great Warming is a film documentary, produced by Stonehenge, sponsored by Swiss Re, narrated by Alanis Morissette and Keanu Reeves, and aired this spring in Canada by the Discovery Channel. It was screened in Salem today at First Congregational Church, U.C.C.

The Great Warming is a relatively comprehensive look at global warming science, with plenty of experts. It documents the impacts of far more modest El Nino events on Peruvian fishing villages, the incredible difficulties facing nations like Bangladesh that lie 80% within the flood plain, the impact that adding another 4 billion people will have on energy use, and the pressing need for China, India, Brazil and other developing countries to adopt a better energy path than the disasterous fossil fuel path that developed countries have followed. It provides plenty of scenic photography, discussion of innovative technologies, and practical solutions.

The Great Warming also has a particularly interesting slant. It highlights, in particular, the growing concern in the American Evangelical community about global warming. It has received endorsements from Rev. Richard Cizik for the National Association of Evangelicals [Rev. Richard Cizik ], Paul de Vries, Dean, New York Divinity School [New York Divinity School], Fr. Jon-Stephen Hedges [St. Athanasius Orthodox Church], the National Council of Churches, Evangelical Environmental Network and the Coalition on Environment and Jewish Life.

The film contains frank, hard-hitting comments from scientists, health providers, and other opinion-makers taking America’s leadership to task for failing to address what is certainly the most critical environmental issue of the 21st century. The film analogizes the current era of Great Warming to the era of the Great Depression. And reminds us that our children and grandchildren will ask why we didn't do something about it.

This film does discuss the faith perspective, which may not be satisfactory for all students. But, it is a great primer on global warming science, the impacts of climate change, and possible solutions.

So, what is the bottom line. Except for the evangelical angle, I'd chose the Great Warming over the other two. But, given law student reaction to anything that smacks of spirituality or religion, I still think Gore did the best job with the science.